Module 24 for June 21st

This module covers long reports.  When writing documents that are really long, you have to organize your time.  You will plan, write, and revise, like always, but you will most likely require alot more time.  When writing a formal report you need a title page (ex. pg. 417), a letter to the main audience (ex. pg. 418), a table of contents (ex. pg. 419), a executive summary (ex. pg. 420), and then you can follow the format on pages 421-430.  On the title page you need to contain the title of the report, who you are preparing the report for, who the report is prepared by, and the release date.  Some title pages can contain a summary of the report.  The letter must contain who authorized the report and why the report was written.  You must also summarize conclusions and recommendations, and indicate if there were any issues that were incountered during your investigation and how you overcame them, also thank the people who helped you.  If there was addition research that you realized you needed to do you should also indicate this in the letter.  Lastly, thank the reader!  In the table of contents, you should list all the headings that appear in the report.  In the list of illustrations, on the table of contents page, you will include tables and graphs used in your report.  In the executive summary you will tell the reader what the entire report is about.  The executive summary is there so the the executives needing to know the report don't have to read the entire report to figure it out.  In the introduction you need to include the purpose, scope, limitations, assumptions, and methods.  The backgroud or history section needs to include the need to know information that may make it easier to understand the ideas in the report.  Finally, the conclusions and recommendations section includes a summary of the main points made and what we suggest to be done after the report.  I think in this module it is important to point out this section as most important because without it, the report would be pointless.  If action isn't taken after the report and recommendations are not implemented, then what was the point?